Chances are, you probably put a lot of time and effort into launching your website. At some point, after you’ve been up and running for a while, you’ll contemplate whether you’re in need of a redesign.  To help make this decision, we’ve put together five questions to ask yourself. Your answers will help you evaluate if an update to your website is necessary. These questions will also ensure you’re getting what you need out of out your site — like desired traffic, sales, repeat customers, newsletter subscribers, etc.

1.  Is your website responsive?  

Responsive means that your site will look great whether visitors are viewing it from a smartphone, tablet or desktop PC. Sixty-four percent of American adults own a smartphone, and 42% own a tablet (from an October 2014 Pew Internet Project research study).

This most likely means that you’ve got people that will visit your website on one of these devices. If your current website design is not mobile-friendly, your visitors will quickly get frustrated by trying to pinch, stretch or scroll their way through your PC-based website on their mobile phone. If you don’t have a mobile-friendly site, it’s time to start planning for a website redesign.

2. Are you getting enough sales or leads from your website?

One of the key indicators to let you know you need to redesign your site is if your traffic is declining.

Are fewer people visiting your site?  Or, are they getting to your homepage and bouncing–leaving the page almost immediately? These kinds of metrics can show you quantitatively that your website just isn’t working for you anymore. Here are some areas to explore if you are concerned about a high bounce rate:

• Does your website’s design match the brand personality that you want to convey to customers? Customers should see a site that reflects your company’s image.
• Is your main call-to-action obvious to your visitors? Measure the clicks over time to find out.
• Is it clear to your visitors what products or services you offer? Organize your site in a way that visitors can quickly discern who you are, what you offer, and how they can buy it.

3.  How does your website look compared to your competitors?

It’s always a good idea to check out the competition.  Review your direct competitors’ websites on a regular basis. Look at not only the design but also notice their voice and how they position their product or service. Avoid plagiarizing, but you are free to use any inspiration to update your website.

Keep an eye on how they rank on search engines compared to your site. If you own a nail salon in Annapolis, Maryland, type in “nail salon Annapolis” into Google and see where you show up and how you compare to your direct competitors. If they are ranking higher, you need to look at doing a redesign that focuses on incorporating best SEO practices.

4. Does it have all the bells and whistles you need?

Besides the actual design, a website can include lots of extras that make the day-to-day management of business easier. Here are a few examples of the types of tools or apps that can be added to a website to streamline business operations:

• An online appointment scheduler is a much more efficient way for both you and your clients manage appointments.
• An email sign up form is a quick way to collect email addresses from your site visitors. It boosts the size of your email contact list so you can increase your outreach.
• Social media icons make it easier for your site visitors to share and engage with your site via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and more.
• A photo or video gallery can help you display imagery or videos in an appealing and enticing way.

These are just a few examples. There are many tools you can use to create a better experience for the visitor and you.

5. Are you just tired of it?

If you feel like your website would win an award for the ‘Ugliest Website of The Year’, then it’s just time to bite the bullet. Your website is the conduit for many people to get a first impression. If it’s not projecting the image you want for your business, then it’s time to invest in a redesign.

If you answered yes to a few of the questions above, you should consider redesigning your website. There are many design services available. Deluxe Websites offers a complete end-to-end solution for website design, getting your website found, making sure it’s mobile-friendly and ensuring it’s SEO-optimized.

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© 2015, Kathy McGovern. All rights reserved.